Cold air circulating apparatus for use in Kimchi refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A cold air circulating apparatus for use in a Kimchi refrigerator includes temperature sensors installed in storage compartments for sensing current temperature inside the storage compartments, respectively, a pair of communication passages formed to be spaced apart from each other in a partition wall, dampers installed in the communication passages for selectively opening or closing the communication passages, respectively, and a control unit for outputting a driving control signal to open or close the dampers based on information on the difference between the current temperatures inside the storage compartments detected by the temperature sensors, thereby circulating cold air between the storage compartments through the communication passages.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cold air circulating apparatus foruse in a Kimchi refrigerator, and more specifically, to an apparatus forcirculating cold air between storage compartments of a Kimchirefrigerator, which is capable of shortening the amount of time requiredto lower temperature inside the storage compartments to a presettemperature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, a Kimchi refrigerator is one of electric home appliances forexclusive use for Kimchi, which can mature and preserve Kimchi at itsoptimal taste using a cooling cycle. The Kimchi refrigerator serves tomature or season Kimchi at an optimum fermentation temperature that isvariable according to a user's taste, and keep the matured Kimchi at anoptimum storage temperature for an extended period of time.

Such a Kimchi refrigerator is provided with a cooler and a door used forpreventing chilled air provided by the cooler inside storagecompartments from escaping to outside at the time of opening and closingof the door to make sure that the temperature inside the refrigerator isconstantly maintained. The interior space of the Kimchi refrigerator isdivided into two storage compartments: one may be used for preservingmatured Kimchi in a temperature range of about −0.5° C. to 1° C., andthe other for maturing Kimchi in a temperature range of about 5° C. to7° C.; or else both for preserving or maturing the Kimchi.

In addition, a drawer type storage compartment designed to pull and pushhorizontally may be provided in the lower portion of the storagecompartments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional Kimchi refrigeratorprovided with a cold air circulating apparatus, and FIG. 2 is anenlarged view of a cooling fan embedded into the door of the Kimchirefrigerator depicted in FIG. 1. As shown in the drawings, theconventional Kimchi refrigerator 1 is provided with a main body 2divided into an upper portion and a lower portion. In the upper portionof the main body 2, a left storage compartment 3 and a right storagecompartment 4 are formed, and in the lower portion of the main body 2, adrawer type storage compartment 5 that is slid in and out horizontallyis formed.

Meanwhile, the Kimchi refrigerator 1 is further provided with, on itsleft and right sides of the upper portion, cold air circulatingapparatuses for circulating cold air in the left and the right storagecompartments 3 and 4, respectively. Each cold air circulating apparatusincludes a push switch 7 protrusively embedded in the main body 2 andconnected to a power supply (not shown), a cooling fan 8 embedded intothe lower face of a door 6 for blowing cold air of the left storagecompartment 3 (or the right storage compartment 4) in a downwarddirection, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the operationof the cooling fan 8.

The cooling fan 8, as shown in FIG. 2, is inserted into a hollow area 9formed on the lower face of the door 6, bolted together, and shielded bya cover 11 having vent holes 10 formed therein. The cooling fan 8 iselectrically connected to the push switch 7. The fan operates for apredetermined period of time when the push switch 7 is turned-on byopening the door 6; or otherwise stops its operation when the switch 7is turned-off by closing the door 6.

However, in the cold air circulating apparatus of the conventionalKimchi refrigerator as mentioned above, the cooling cycle isindependently performed in a separate space of each of the left and theright storage compartments 3 and 4. Therefore, if a user wants to lowertemperature inside any one of the storage compartments, she or he runsonly the cooling fan 8 installed in the corresponding storagecompartment for its cooling operation.

In this case, there needs a large amount of time required toindependently cool down the corresponding storage compartment to apreset temperature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a coldair circulating apparatus for use in a Kimchi refrigerator having two ormore storage compartments to facilitate the circulation of cold airtherebetween.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cold aircirculating apparatus to shorten the amount of time required to lowertemperature inside the storage compartments included in such a Kimchirefrigerator.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided a cold air circulating apparatus for use in a Kimchirefrigerator having at least two storage compartments partitioned by apartition wall, the apparatus comprising:

temperature sensors installed in the storage compartments for sensingcurrent temperature inside the storage compartments, respectively;

a pair of communication passages which are formed to be spaced apartfrom each other in the partition wall;

dampers installed in the communication passages for selectively openingor closing the communication passages, respectively; and

a control unit for outputting a driving control signal to open or closethe dampers based on information on the difference between the currenttemperatures inside the storage compartments detected by the temperaturesensors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments,given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of aconventional Kimchi refrigerator provided with an apparatus forcirculating cold air;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of a cooling fan embedded into the door ofthe Kimchi refrigerator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view showing a Kimchi refrigeratorprovided with a cold air circulating apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 presents a plan view schematically illustrating a cold aircirculating apparatus in a Kimchi refrigerator in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the cold air circulatingapparatus illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary operation of the cold air circulatingapparatus shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 describes another exemplary operation of the cold air circulatingapparatus shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of a cold air circulating apparatus for use ina Kimchi refrigerator in accordance with the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a Kimchi refrigerator provided witha cold air circulating apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention, and FIG. 4 presents a plan view schematically illustrating acold air circulating apparatus in a Kimchi refrigerator in accordancewith the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, interior space of a Kimchi refrigerator 100 isdivided, by a partition wall 101 at the center, into a left storagecompartment 110 and a right storage compartment 120. The left and theright storage compartments 110 and 120 are covered from the above byleft and right storage compartment doors 111 and 121, respectively,which are provided to seal inside the storage compartments 110 and 120.

Cooling fans 112 and 122 are embedded into the left compartment door 111and the right storage compartment door 121, respectively, to therebycirculate cold air inside the corresponding storage compartments.

A control panel 160 is installed on a front of the Kimchi refrigerator100 and serves to select preset temperatures for the storagecompartments 110 and 120.

Further, formed inside the rear portion of the left and the rightstorage compartments 110 and 120 of the Kimchi refrigerator is a coolingunit 130 such as an evaporator for generating the cold air torefrigerate inside the storage compartments 110 and 120.

In addition, the left and the right storage compartments 110 and 120 areprovided with temperature sensors 162 and 163 that detect currenttemperatures inside their corresponding compartments 110 and 120 toproduce temperature detection signals indicating the currenttemperatures, respectively.

Meanwhile, the partition wall 101 dividing the interior space of theKimchi refrigerator into the left and the right storage compartments 110and 120 has a pair of communication passages 140 and 150 which areformed to be spaced apart each other in horizontal. Alternatively, thecommunication passages 140 and 150 may be arranged in vertical.Installed in the communication passages 140 and 150 are built-inelectronic dampers 141 and 151 that are operable for selectively openingor closing the communication passages 140 and 150, respectively.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5 which is a schematic block diagram showingthe cold air circulating apparatus of the Kimchi refrigeratorillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a control unit 170 is provided to controlthe circulation of the cold air. More specifically, the control unit 170receives the temperature detection signals from the temperature sensors162 and 163, and outputs driving control signals for opening or closingthe dampers 141 and 151.

For the convenience of explanation hereinafter, among those twocommunication passages, the communication passage being disposed closerto the evaporator 130 is referred to as a first communication passage140, and the other communication passage spaced apart from the firstcommunication passage 140 by a designated distance is referred to as asecond communication passage 150. For the same purpose, the damperinside the first communication passage 140 is referred to as a firstdamper 141, and the damper inside the second communication passage 150is named a second damper 151.

As described above, the partition wall 101 has the first and the secondcommunication passages 140 and 150 formed therein. Thus, the left andthe right storage compartments 110 and 120 are selectively communicatedby the dampers 141 and 151 mounted in the first and the secondcommunication passages 140 and 150, respectively.

Therefore, in case where a current temperature inside the left storagecompartment 110 or the right storage compartment 120, being sensed bythe temperature sensor 162 or 163, respectively, is higher than thepreset temperature for preserving kimchi therein, the dampers 141 and151 are operated to open the first and the second communication passages140 and 150. This permits the cold air inside the left and the rightstorage compartments 110 and 120 to communicate with each other, whichresults in making the temperatures in the storage compartmentsapproximately even by lowering the temperature in a storage compartmentof interest using colder air in another storage compartment than that ofthe storage compartment of interest. Accordingly, it is accomplished toshorten the amount of time required for lowering the temperature ofinterest to the preset temperature, rather than lowering the temperaturein each of the storage compartments 110 and 120 by individuallyoperating the cooling fans 112 and 122 mounted in the storagecompartments 110 and 120, as in the prior art.

Preferably, the circulating apparatus further includes ventilating fans142 and 143; and 152 and 153 that are operationally oppositely installedin the left and the right sides of the first and the secondcommunication passages 140 and 150. The ventilating fans 142 and 143;152 and 153 promote the circulation of cold air between the left storagecompartment 110 and the right storage compartment 120 more efficiently.

It is more preferably that the ventilating fans 142, 143, 152, and 153are installed in a manner that air blows from the inside to the outsideof the communication passages 140 and 150. Such ventilating fans 142,143, 152, and 153 may be implemented with an AC fan which blows cold airin one direction.

Hereinafter, for the convenience of explanation, the ventilating fan onthe left inner side of the first communication passage 140 is named afirst ventilating fan 142, and the ventilating fan on the right innerside is named a second ventilating fan 143. Similarly, the ventilatingfan on the left inner side of the second communication passage 150 isnamed a third ventilating fan 152, and the ventilating fan on the rightinner side is named a fourth ventilating fan 153.

Now, an operation of the cold air circulating apparatus for use in aKimchi refrigerator in accordance with the invention will be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are exemplary views illustrating the operations of a coldair circulating apparatus for use in a Kimchi refrigerator in accordancewith the present invention.

In operation, current temperatures inside the left and the right storagecompartments are detected by the temperature sensors 162 and 163installed in the left and the right storage compartments 110 and 120,respectively.

If it is determined by the control unit 170 that the current temperaturein the right storage compartment 120 is higher than a preset temperaturefor the right storage compartment 120, and if it is also determined bythe control unit 170 that the current temperature in the right storagecompartment 120 is higher than the current temperature detected by thetemperature sensor 162, the control unit 170 outputs a driving controlsignal to open the first and the second dampers 141 and 151, to therebyopen both the first and the second communication passages 140 and 150,as shown in FIG. 6.

At the same time, under the control of the control unit 170, the secondventilating fan 143 and the fourth ventilating fan 153 operate.Therefore, cold air from the left storage compartment 110 flows into theright storage compartment 120 via the first communication passage 140,and cold air from the right storage compartment 120 flows into the leftstorage compartment 110 via the second communication passage 150, tothereby circulate cold air between the left storage compartment 110 andthe right storage compartment 120.

The reason for operating the second ventilating fan 143 is to cause thecold air to blow from the left storage compartment 110 into the rightstorage compartment 120 via the first communication passage 140. Thatis, the cold air is circulated between the storage compartments in adirection that the cold air in the left storage compartment 110 flowsout into the right storage compartment 120 through the communicationpassage 140, the communication passage 140 being formed closer to theevaporator 130.

As a result, the coldest air existing in the vicinity of the evaporator130 in the interior space of the left storage compartment 110 can flowdirectly and immediately into the right storage compartment 120, tothereby lower the temperature of the right storage compartment 120 moreeffectively.

In addition, it may be implemented in a manner that the cooling fans 112and 122 embedded into the left and the right storage compartment doors111 and 121 run together, thereby making the cold air circulate in avertical direction as well. This results in more efficient circulationsof cold air inside the compartment storages.

During the above operation, if it is determined that the currenttemperature inside the right storage compartment 120 is lowered to thepreset temperature, the control unit 170 controls the first and thesecond dampers 141 and 151 to be closed, and controls the second and thefourth ventilating fans 143 and 153 to stop their running.

Thereafter, the Kimchi refrigerator 100 allows the left storagecompartment 110 and the right storage compartment 120 to be drivenindependently of each other.

On the other hand, if it is detected that current temperature in theleft storage compartment 110 is higher than a preset temperature for theleft storage compartment 110 and is also higher than current temperaturein the right storage compartment 110, the control unit 170 outputs adriving control signal to open the first and the second dampers 141 and151, to thereby open the first and the second communication passages 140and 150.

At the same time, the first ventilating fan 142 and the thirdventilating fan 152 operate, and therefore, cold air from the rightstorage compartment 120 forces to blow into the left storage compartment110 via the first communication passage 140, and cold air from the leftstorage compartment 110 forces to blow into the right storagecompartment 120 via the second communication passage 150, as shown inFIG. 7, thereby circulating cold air between the left storagecompartment 110 and the right storage compartment 120.

The reason for causing the cold air to flow from the right storagecompartment 120 into the left storage compartment 110 via the firstcommunication passage 140 is that the coldest air existing in thevicinity of the evaporator 130 in the interior space of the rightstorage compartment 120 can flow into the left storage compartment 110to thus lower the temperature of the left storage compartment 110 moreeffectively. That is, the cold air is circulated between the storagecompartments in a direction that the cold air in the right storagecompartment 120 blows out into the left storage compartment 110 throughthe communication passage 140 closer to the evaporator 130.

In addition, it may be implemented in a manner that the cooling fans 112and 122 embedded in the left and the right storage compartment doors 111and 121 run together, thereby making the cold air circulate in avertical direction as well. This results in more efficient circulationof cold air inside the compartment storages.

Thereafter, under the control of the control unit 170, if it isdetermined that the temperature inside the left storage compartment 110is lowered to the preset temperature, the first and the second dampers141 and 151 are closed, and the first and the third ventilating fans 142and 152 stop running, thereby permitting the left storage compartment110 and the right storage compartment 120 to be refrigeratedindependently of each other.

Although it has been illustrated and disclosed that the ventilating fans142, 143; 152, and 153 are of the AC type fans that are installed in theleft and the right sides of the first and the second communicationpassages 140 and 150, it is possible to substitute the AC typeventilating fans with DC type ventilating fans that are capable ofselectively changing the direction of air flow in bi-direction. In thiscase, it is enough to install each one of DC type ventilating fans ineach of the first and the second communication passages 140,respectively.

Therefore, in FIG. 6, a first DC ventilating fan installed in the firstcommunication passage 140 instead the second ventilating fan 143 forcescold air from the left storage compartment 110 to blow into the rightstorage compartment 120, and a second DC fan installed in the secondcommunication passage 150 instead the fourth ventilating fan 153 forcescold air from the right storage compartment 120 to blow into the leftstorage compartment 110, thereby circulating cold air between the leftstorage compartment 110 and the right storage compartment 120.

Meanwhile, in FIG. 7, a first DC ventilating fan installed in the firstcommunication passage 140 instead the first ventilating fan 142 forcescold air from the right storage compartment 120 forces to blow into theleft storage compartment 110, and a second DC ventilating fan installedin the second communication passage 150 instead the third ventilatingfan 152 forces cold air from the left storage compartment 110 cold airfrom the left storage compartment 110 forces to blow into the rightstorage compartment 120, thereby circulating cold air between the leftstorage compartment 110 and the right storage compartment 120.

Alternatively, there may be several countermeasures on how to installthe ventilating fans. One of the countermeasures is to install aventilating fan in any one of the communication passage, e.g., the firstcommunication passage 140. The ventilating fan is a DC type fan and iscontrolled to selectively change the direction of air flow inbi-direction.

Another countermeasure is to install each AC fan in each communicationpassage instead of pairs of AC fans, respectively.

As explained so far, the cold air circulating apparatus for use in aKimchi refrigerator according to the present invention is provided withthe first and the second communication passages capable of making theleft and right storage compartments communicate with each other, and thefirst and the second dampers capable of selectively opening or closingthe first and the second communication passages. Therefore, iftemperature inside the left storage compartment is higher than thepreset temperature, cold air flows from the right storage compartmentinto the left storage compartment, while if temperature inside the rightstorage compartment is higher than the preset temperature, cold airflows from the left storage compartment into the right storagecompartment. In this manner, cold air inside each storage compartment iscirculated more effectively, thereby shortening the amount of timerequired to lower temperature of cold air down to the presettemperature.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to thepreferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various changes and modification may be made without departing fromthe scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

1. A cold air circulating apparatus for use in a Kimchi refrigeratorhaving at least two storage compartments partitioned by a partitionwall, the apparatus comprising: temperature sensors installed in thestorage compartments for sensing current temperature inside the storagecompartments, respectively; a pair of communication passages which areformed to be spaced apart from each other in the partition wall; dampersinstalled in the communication passages for selectively opening orclosing the communication passages, respectively; and a control unit foroutputting a control signal to open or close the dampers based oninformation on the difference between the current temperatures insidethe storage compartments detected by the temperature sensors.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the dampers toopen in case where temperature in one of the storage compartments ishigher than a preset temperature therefor, and also higher thantemperature in another storage compartment, to thereby circulate coldair between the storage compartments through the communication passages.3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a pair of ventilatingfans installed in each communication passage, to promote the circulationof the cold air between the storage compartments.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 3, wherein the ventilating fans in each pair are operationallyoppositely installed each other with the damper therebetween, andwherein the control unit controls each one of the ventilating fans ineach pair to run in a manner to blow out the cold air passing throughthe communication passages.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a firstone of the communication passages is closer to cooling means in theKimch refrigerator, and wherein the circulation is made in such a mannerthat the cold air in said another storage compartment is blown out tosaid one storage compartment through the fist communication passage andthe cold air in said one storage compartment is blown out to saidanother storage compartment through a second communication passage. 6.The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of the ventilating fans includesan AC type fan.
 7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: aventilating fan installed in each of the communication passages topromote the circulation of the cold air between the storagecompartments.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unitcontrols the ventilating fans to run in a manner to blow out the coldair passing through the communication passages, respectively.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein a first one of the communication passagesis closer to cooling means in the Kimch refrigerator, and wherein thecirculation is made in such a manner that the cold air in said anotherstorage compartment is blown out to said one storage compartment throughthe fist communication passage and the cold air in said one storagecompartment is blown out to said another storage compartment through asecond communication passage.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein eachof the ventilating fans includes a DC type fan.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the communication passages are arranged in parallelhorizontally.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communicationpassages are arranged in series vertically.
 13. The apparatus of claim2, further comprising: a ventilating fan installed in any selected oneof the communication passages, to promote the circulation of the coldair between the storage compartments.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the control unit controls the ventilating fan to run in a mannerto blow out the cold air passing through the selected communicationpassage.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the selectedcommunication passage is closer to cooling means in the Kimchrefrigerator, and wherein the circulation is made in such a manner thatthe cold air in said another storage compartment is blown out to saidone storage compartment through the fist communication passage by theventilating fan and the cold air in said one storage compartment isblown out to said another storage compartment through anothercommunication passage.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein theventilating fan includes a DC type fan.